Folk

Soundtrack for the Rain:Luka Bloom

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In this kind of weather, It make one yearn for something intimate and bare. You know, something that could accompany you over a cup of warm coffee. That is why,Luka Bloom’s music is very appropriate .

 

  Born Kevin Barry Moore, May 23 1955 ,he is the younger brother of Christy Moore. He had to change his name to Luka Bloom in order to avoid the pressure of being related to  his already successful older brother. The name “Luka” is taken from a Suzanne Vega song about ‘child abuse’ while Bloom is from the character in James Joyce’s Ulysses.

 

  His music is defined as ‘electro-acoustic’  . Problems with his fingers(tendinitis) made him give up  finger picking style and opted for a frenetic strumming which he is now known for. The first time I heard him was through a ‘Celtic Season” compilation album. The track is called ‘Listen to the River”.

 

  From then on I knew I have to look for his albums. Right now I have his 1990 album called Riverside. Comprised of 12 tracks, this album promises warm acoustic tracks that are either slow or simply rock and roll. The preference in  using  all acoustic guitars on each track makes the whole album lively without being noisy. It also showcases his husky baritone. I think the most humorous track is “An Irishman in Chinatown’ .

 

1. Delirious
2. Dreams In America
3. Over The Moon
4. Gone To Pablo
5. The Man Is Alive
6. An Irishman In Chinatown
7. Rescue Mission
8. The One
9. Hudson Lady
10. This Is For Life
11. You Couldn’t Have Come…
12. The Hill Of Allen Instrumental

Visit the official website and grab your own copy now 😉

Máire,the debut album of Moya Brennan

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  Today I want to review Moya Brennan’s Maire…her first solo album out of 200px-MoyaBrennan_MaireClannad. Released in 1992, the album celebrates the Irish tradition in a fresh approach. Abundance of percussion,  electric guitars and vocal layerings embellish this release under Atlantic Records.

 

 I just love the way Moya sings each slow tracks as if she is whispering. There is nuance and at the same time up front delivery. Tracks like “Cé Leis” and “Jealous Heart” promise heart hearting beauty. While “Atlantic Shore” is update,rock driven; well suited to the age of Grunge without being ‘Rock and Roll”.

  Musicians are :

Producer: Calwn Malcolm and Donal Lunny.vbrennan3

Loreena McKennitt forced to cancel festival appearance in Fez, Morocco

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  A family emergency has forced Canadian Celtic superstar Loreena McKennitt from performing in a festival in Morocco.

Quinlan Road says:

Loreena McKennitt has been forced to cancel the opening concert of her upcoming Mediterranean tour.

 

She will be unable to participate in the Festival of World Sacred Music in Fez, Morocco; she was due to perform there next Saturday, June 6.

“I’m facing a grave family emergency and being away from home at this time is not an option,” the Stratford, Ontario-based singer said.  “It is most difficult to make this unprecedented decision to cancel a concert so close to its date”

 

”It’s my greatest hope that I will be able to play this prestigious festival — I’ve been aware of it for so many years — in the future.”

A Mummer’s Dance Through Ireland is the singer’s latest album which is a compilation of her Irish themed songs.

 For more information, please visit: Quinlan Road her official website.

  Well I just hope her family would recover soon.My best wishes to her and her band.

Clannad is working on a new album

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  Yes it is true. For those who never heard it, Clannad is recording a new album and is probably finished and confirmed by the official site http://www.clannad.ie/ The Grammy -winning band who gave us Theme From Harry’s Game as will as I Will Find You (theme from The last of the Mohicans) is once again in perfect form.This is worth the wait.

Discovering Planxty

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  I wish I was born in the fifties .By the seventies I would have been financially independent that I could buy whatever records available. I heard Planxty a couple of times in the Internet radio and I have been impressed by their brand of traditional Irish music.I’m talking about this one track called “Raggle Taggle Gypsy“.Amazing vocals and the emphasis on vowel and consonant sound that is close to the Scottish musical tradition known as Mouth Music.That’s the same band where Christy Moore came from.I like my male singers to posess deep strong voice-manly , as opposed to adolescent boys.